Work, identity, and technology.

Reimagining what’s possible.

Erykah Benson presenting research at the Hawaii International System Sciences HICSS Conference
Erykah Benson presenting research at the Hawaii International System Sciences Conferences with co-presenters Gabe Paredes, Jasmine Banks, Kyla Brathwaite, Apryl Williams, Janae Sayler, and Mel Monier
Erykah Benson presenting research on attitudes toward reparations at the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy
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Select Funding Support

Population Studies Center NICHD Traineeship (2021)

National Science Foundation (2023)

Bowman Center Anti-Racism Grant (2024, 2025)

Rackham Student Research Grant (2023, 2025)

Publications in Press

  • A survey analysis and experimental analysis studying public attitudes toward reparations in Detroit and across the United States.

    Hudgins, K., Benson, E., Carr, S., Simington, J., Walker, Z., Cruz, J., Hutchings, V., Lewis, E., Ostfeld, M. C., & Young, A. Crafting Democratic Futures: Understanding Political Conditions and Racialized Attitudes Toward Black Reparations. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 10(3), 49–67. https://doi.org/10.7758/RSF.2024.10.3.03

  • A methods paper on cross-collaborations between academics and tech industry leaders in developing equitable technologies.

    Williams, A., Brathwaite, K., Banks, J., Benson, E., Monier, M., Sayler, J., Paredes, G.. (2025). “Needs Translation: Advocating for Marginalized Communities in Tech Design”, (Proceedings of the Hawaii International System Sciences Conference)

  • A survey analysis on the use of grocery delivery services in Detroit, Michigan, 2023. Michigan Journal of Public Affairs Volume 22.

Invited Op-Eds

  • Public commentary on the pace of reparations policy development in Detroit.

    Hudgins, K., Benson, E., Ostfeld, M., Hutchings, V. (2024). “Detroit reparations task force now has until 2025 to make its report, but going slow with this challenging work may not be a bad thing.” 10.64628/AAI.mack3qfcx. 

Policy Reports

  • A survey analysis on the use of grocery delivery services in Detroit and its linkages to transportation access challenges.

  • A survey analysis on Flint residents’ attitudes toward local-level reparations policy in Flint during the height of the reparations task force development in the city.

  • A survey analysis focusing on the connection between Detroiters’ knowledge of historic racial discrimination and their support for local-level reparations policy.

  • A survey analysis that focuses on Detroiters’ support for local-level reparations and their likelihood to participate in the Fall 2022 Midterm Elections.

Erykah Benson presenting early research on artificial intelligence policymaking with coauthors Ellie Abrons, Germaine Halegoua, and Matthew Bui (Left to Right). 2025 Digital IDEAS Institute, Ann Arbor, MI.

Erykah presenting early research on artificial intelligence policymaking with coauthors Ellie Abrons, Germaine Halegoua, and Matthew Bui (Left to Right). 2025 Digital IDEAS Institute, Ann Arbor, MI.

Figure 1. Created by Erykah Benson. Published in Hudgins et al. (2024).